Print this pagePortfolio ministers
The Prime Minister of Australia is the Hon John Howard MP. In 2005–06 he was assisted by:
- the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister
- Senator the Hon Kay Patterson as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues until 27 January 2006
- the Hon Julie Bishop MP as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues from 27 January 2006
- the Hon Kevin Andrews MP as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
- Senator the Hon Amanda Vanstone as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs until 27 January 2006
- the Hon Mal Brough MP as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs from 27 January 2006
- the Hon Gary Nairn MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister until 27 January 2006, and
- the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 27 January 2006.
Figure 1A opposite summarises the portfolio ministers, agencies and senior officers responsible for each agency at 30 June 2006.
Portfolio agencies
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) is the main policy advice and coordination agency in the portfolio of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Another seven agencies were in the portfolio throughout 2005–06 (see opposite). More information on these agencies' outcomes and activities may be obtained from their individual annual reports and websites.
Figure 1A—Ministers and portfolio agencies at 30 June 2006
About PM&C
PM&C's main role is to ensure that the Prime Minister receives the best possible advice on matters requiring his attention as Australia's head of government and the chairman of Cabinet. In this role, we aspire to:
- ensure the Prime Minister and Cabinet are given accurate, clear and timely advice that takes into account the views of all stakeholders
- facilitate cooperation within the Australian Public Service (APS) and with other governments, and
- provide a whole-of-government perspective on issues including, where required, the implementation of government decisions.
We also provide a range of services to facilitate the conduct of government business. Among other things, we provide support for:
- meetings of Cabinet and of the Federal Executive Council
- official visits, ceremonies and State occasions
- coordination of government communications and advertising, and
- the Prime Minister's official residences.
In 2005–06 we spent $99.6 million across 12 major outputs. More information about our outputs is provided in Figure 1B below, and in chapters 3 to 6.
Figure 1B—Departmental outcomes/outputs framework at 30 June 2006*
* As of 1 July 2006 the Cabinet Secretariat and Cabinet implementation unit outputs were merged into a single output, Cabinet Support, and remaining outputs were renumbered accordingly.
PM&C receives more than 95 per cent of its income from government, and operates under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.
We are strongly committed to the Australian Public Service (APS) Values and Code of Conduct set out in the Public Service Act 1999. All staff hear our Secretary speak on APS values and ethics as part of orientation (see photo at top right).
In addition, and consistent with the APS values, we place a high priority on:
- professionalism, commitment and excellence in management
- timely, responsive and high quality service to the Prime Minister and other ministers
- constructive and cooperative relationships within PM&C and with other agencies and governments
- career and development opportunities for our staff, and
- a rewarding and caring work environment.
These corporate values underpin our approach to, and form the basis of our report on, management and accountability (see Chapter 7 page 69).
Special feature—a brief history of PM&C
Staff from the Prime Minister’s Department in 1912. Today, about 60 per cent of our staff are female.
Staff from the Prime Minister’s Department in 1928. R G Casey (second from right) went on to become a minister and Governor-General.
On 28 June 1906 the Prime Minister's office asked all agencies to issue an annual report, and to include a departmental history in their first report. One hundred years on, it seems timely to review how our functions as a department have changed over time.
The story begins in April 1911, when the Prime Minister the Rt Hon. Andrew Fisher decided to elevate a small office within the then Department of external Affairs in Melbourne into a department of state in its own right.
Separate premiers' departments had already been set up in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia.
Despite this, our establishment was a cause for controversy. Most criticism was directed at our first Secretary Malcolm Shepherd, a self-described socialist who served Prime Ministers from both sides of politics.
World War I saw our responsibilities increase significantly, possibly due to the necessities of wartime administration.
Prime Minister the Rt Hon. Billy Hughes abolished the Department of external Affairs in 1916, leaving us to carry out most of its functions until he reconstituted it in 1921. even then, we continued to have a common department head until 1932.
In the interwar period, PM&C took on several additional responsibilities:
- pastoral affairs (1918–23)
- public relations on behalf of the Prime Minister (1921–35)
- immigration (1923–25)
- Australian territories in Papua, New Guinea, Norfolk Island and Nauru (1928–41), and
- economic development (1930–39).
We also relocated from Melbourne with the construction of Canberra as our national capital, moving in 1927 into the east Block building near what is now Old Parliament House.
Work is under way on our new building at One National Circuit.
PM&C staff in August 2001, in front of our current building at 3–5 National Circuit Barton.
After World War II, our role evolved further with the winding down of many war-time agencies.
We began advising the Prime Minister on all Cabinet submissions (1949) and published the first Cabinet handbook (1950). We also took on responsibility for matters such as post-war reconstruction (1949), and education and science functions, including the CSIRO (1949–1966).
In 1968, the Cabinet Office was actually separated from the department and established as a department of state in its own right under Prime Minister the Rt Hon. John Gorton.
Three years later, and two days after Prime Minister the Rt Hon. William McMahon took office, the two agencies merged to become the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as we know it today.
Since the late 1960s, our role has continued to evolve. We have taken on responsibility for aspects of indigenous affairs (1968 –1971), the arts (1972–77), child care (1975–76), women's affairs (1975 –77, 1984 –2004), and multicultural affairs (1987–96).
Over the last twenty years new technologies have transformed the way we do business. We have embraced computers (1986) and email (1993), and the CABNeT system for lodging and circulating Cabinet documents securely between agencies is online (1998).
Another milestone is approaching—work is almost complete on our new building at One National Circuit Barton. Once we make the move, our current building at 3–5 National Circuit will be demolished. The site is to be redeveloped for use by the Attorney-General's Department.
Further change seems inevitable but, in the words of a former Secretary of PM&C, ‘the basic functions do not change; nor does the basic character of the department, and the intense pressure in working in the forefront of government activity continues' (Sir Geoffrey Yeend, 1978).
PM&C in 2005–06
On 30 June 2006, PM&C had a staff of 528 people, most based in Canberra. Many have experience with—or are on secondment from—other agencies or governments, providing us with a broad range of expertise, perspectives and networks.
From time to time, we also establish specialist taskforces to facilitate a whole-of-government approach to complex policy issues or events. These taskforces can last from a few months to several years.
A total of nine taskforces tackled various issues over 2005–06. It was a typical year in that we have supported an average of 10–11 taskforces a year since 2000.
The size of taskforces did, however, vary considerably. They ranged from a handful of people to well over 100 people in the APEC 2007 Taskforce.
Figure 1C below provides an overview of all taskforces that operated in 2005–06, while Figure 1D opposite details our overall structure and the senior people responsible for each area at 30 June 2006.
Further organisational changes are expected in 2006–07 as taskforces complete their work and new issues emerge.
Special arrangements have been made to cater for taskforces in our new building. Five separate areas have been set aside for taskforces and will accommodate 25–30 people each.
# these areas deliver essential business services in support of all outputs
From left, Dr Louise Morauta, Dr Peter Shergold, Ms Jenny Goddard and Mr Duncan Lewis.
The executive team
DR Peter Shergold AM
Secretary
Dr Peter Shergold has been our Secretary since February 2003. He chairs PM&C's Corporate Leadership Group and regular meetings of portfolio secretaries.
He also provides leadership to the broader APS, speaking extensively on public service issues and chairing bodies including the Secretaries' Group on Indigenous Affairs, the APS Management Advisory Committee and the Board of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).
Before PM&C, Dr Shergold headed up Australian Government agencies including the Department of education, Science and Training and the Department of employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. In earlier life he lectured on economic history at the University of NSW.
MS Jenny Goddard
Deputy Secretary
Ms Goddard is responsible for economic, industry, infrastructure and environment policy advice and for services and implementation monitoring relating to Cabinet. She also chairs our Audit Committee.
Before joining PM&C in 1997, Ms Goddard served in the Commonwealth Treasury for 13 years, including as the Treasury's representative in London.
DR Louise Morauta PSM
Deputy Secretary
Dr Morauta is responsible for social policy advice and coordination, and for people, resources and communications services. She also chairs PM&C's Consultative Committee, People and Leadership Committee and the One National Circuit Steering Committee.
Dr Morauta joined PM&C in April 2005, shortly before she was awarded a Public Service Medal for her work on health financing and blood issues while with the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. She has also worked in the Department of Finance and Administration and AusAID.
MR Duncan Lewis AO DSC CSC
Deputy Secretary
Mr Lewis is responsible for international policy and national security policy advice and coordination, including APEC 2007, and for a range of government support services. He chairs PM&C's Information Management Strategic Advisory Committee.
Mr Lewis joined PM&C as head of the National Security Division in January 2004, after 30 years with the Australian Army. He has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his distinguished service in command of the Special Forces. He was appointed Deputy Secretary in 2005.
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